Agency warns land buying saccos on public spaces

The National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri. FILE 

By NEVILLE OTUKI

In Summary

• The National Land Commission has given the land-buying societies three weeks to submit their scheme plans for the sub-divided land in a bid to determine their compliance with the law.

Land owners who acquired plots through co-operative societies risk losing the parcels in a fresh audit meant to reclaim public utility spaces.

The National Land Commission has given the land-buying societies three weeks to submit their scheme plans for the sub-divided land in a bid to determine their compliance with the law.

Muhammad Swazuri, the commission’s chairman said all the groups buying land are required by law to set aside a portion for public purposes during subdivision.

“We shall be forced to compel those who have defaulted on this requirement to give up their land,” he told the Business Daily.

The exercise, which could see a number of new homeowners burn their cash, will include companies and State agencies.

The Physical Planning Act 2012 provides that in every building development scheme, space is provided for recreational facilities, children’s playground and schools depending on the size of the project.

READ: Lands agency backs counties’ urban plans

The audit has been welcomed by land experts who say it will discourage property developers out to make big bucks while overlooking the welfare of households.

“This is a planning requirement that checks congestion by outlining the space required between buildings and ensuring good living conditions,” said Mwenda Makathimo, the executive director for the Land Development and Governance Institute.

At the moment, there is no law limiting sub-division of land, meaning a piece of land can be split into multiple plots unchecked. Saccos have increasingly been buying land as an investment vehicle, which they sub-divide for sale to members, most of whom put up housing units. However, provision of public space has largely been ignored

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The lands commission said it will clamp down on officials of groups that had failed to reserve space for social utilities.  It called on saccos and investment groups to share information on land sub-division schemes with members to avoid violation of the law.

Compulsory provision of public space is expected to cut the margins for the societies and increase acquisition costs for members. Previous most saccos provided only for commercial space, which was available for sale.